For many years, Clíodhna Ní Aodáin has felt a profound connection with trees and their quiet presence. Seeking to listen more deeply, she began taking her cello into forests and sitting beneath individual trees. Trusting the first impulse that arose, she would sing, find the melody on the cello, and enter into a spontaneous musical dialogue with each tree. The result is For the Love of Trees — seven evocative pieces that invite listeners into a world of stillness, openness and connection with nature.
The music emerged from direct encounters with trees in Ireland, Switzerland and the United States. Linden, Rowan, Redwood and the Fairie Tree each revealed their own unique character, rhythm and voice. The focus track, “Linden Tree”, offers listeners a spacious sonic landscape that evokes the calm strength and gentle wisdom of the Linden tree.
Recorded on the cello of Grammy Award-winning cellist David Darling in Boulder, Colorado with Grammy Award-winning producer Mickey Houlihan, Clíodhna Ní Aodáin’s music blends cello improvisations, voice, and piano with atmospheric soundscapes and subtle field recordings, creating a deeply immersive listening experience.
For the Love of Trees offers an invitation to slow down and remember our relationship with the living earth. Through these intimate cello soundscapes, listeners are encouraged to step outside, sit beneath a tree, and rediscover the healing power of deep listening.
Tracklist
- Linden Tree (02:23) – Focus Track
- Rowan Tree (03:13)
- Lament for the Trees (02:25)
- Fairie Tree (02:37)
- Forest Moon (03:18)
- Redwood (02:44)
- For the Love of Trees (02:32)
About the Artist
Clíodhna Ní Aodáin creates sound worlds that bridge Celtic tradition, intuitive expression and contemporary healing music. Known for her soulful approach to the cello, she invites listeners beyond performance and into presence, creating music that reconnects people with themselves, each other and the natural world.
“My hope is that this music inspires people to spend time with trees, to listen more deeply, and to experience the peace and connection that nature offers us so freely.” — Clíodhna Ní Aodáin
“As one’s imagination enters the trees a sense of safety and familiarity envelops you. The sound helps to define the contours of ancient inner tree architecture. The feeling is one of humility as you might experience in an old chapel, and sometimes grandeur like in a great cathedral. Cliodhna has created a tribute of great beauty, but also a kind of musical map toward grounding, love, and unity.” — Eugene Friesen, Four-time Grammy Award-winning cellist and composer
“These are beautiful compositions played with the kind of lyricism I associate with the best air playing in the Irish tradition. The arrangements are thoughtful, cinematic and rich with feeling. This is a beautiful recording.” — Martin Hayes, Award-winning Irish fiddler.
Follow Clíodhna Ní Aodáin
Website: https://www.thecelticcello.com/for-the-love-of-trees